W.A.T.W. ~ Summer of Sony 4: Ritz Carlton Cancun

Who doesn't love a movie?  Better yet...who doesn't love looking at pictures of movie stars?  I wish I could say 'Yea' to the first question and 'Nea' to the 2nd, but that is simply not the case!  Lot's of stars headed to the Ritz Carlton in Cancun last week for Sony's annual spring junket where they take the opportunity to show off their upcoming films.  I think it's safe to say there was no shortage of 'Star Power' in Mexico last week.  Here are some of the movies to watch for and their stars...

Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale and Colin Farell 'Total Recal'

Adam Sandler 'Hotel Transylvania'

Adam Sandler and Andy Samber 'Hotel Transylvania'

Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone 'The Amazing Spiderman'

Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill '21 Jump Street'

Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz 'Django Unchained'

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jamie Foxx

Salma Hayek and Kevin James 'Here Comes the Boom'

Will Smith, Josh Brolin, Pitbull and Barry Sonnenfeld ' MIB 3'

Adam and Dana 'Wedding Date'

In case you are trying to figure out the last one, they are not 'real' movie stars.  They are however, stars in our eyes and they were in Mexico for a celebration!  They're one of our 'Real Weddings' couples married yesterday at the Marival Residences and World Spa in Puerto Vallarta.  Congrats to them and be sure to watch for their 'Real Wedding' blog!  We love to share the photos of our own stars and share with you images from their memorable day!

Until next time,

Destination Bouquet

When I think of weddings, the first picture that comes to mind is the Bride followed by visions of her dress, jewelry, bouquet, and so on.  Destination weddings are no different.  Flowers, especially those of the bride, are an important part of any wedding.  They are the perfect way to incorporate your theme and your personality, and they add so much to your special day.

The options are endless...types of flowers, color schemes, lots of flowers or a single stem?  It can be very overwhelming, especially for Destination Weddings, where in most cases you don't have the opportunity to meet with a florist in advance.    The good news is that most resorts have a dedicated wedding planner on site who will work with you in advance to ensure your floral vision becomes reality on your special day.  Following are some common themes to help get you thinking of how you can use flowers to incorporate your personality and/or your theme to make your day more special!

Classic - It's rare to see a wedding bouquet that does not include roses.  Roses signify love, romance and passion.  They come in all colors and sizes, and can add that pop of color you are looking for or bring romantic elegance to your all white theme.  Because they are durable and pretty readily available, they are the perfect choice for your classic bouquet.

Simple ~ Sometimes simplicity is best.  A single calla lily looks lovely and elegant for your beach wedding.It's also great for the budget conscious who don't want to do without flowers but cannot afford elaborate bouquets for the entire wedding party.

Tropical ~ Most destination weddings are located in tropical locales.  This makes it easy to incorporate bouquets that have a tropical vibe.  Orchids are the perfect addition to this type of bouquet.  They come in a variety of colors and go with everything.  A few accent pieces to incorporate other colors and textures and you have the perfect bouquet to compliment your environment! 

Wildflower ~ Although 'Tropical Weddings' are our most popular request, we also have many requests for Destination Weddings within the United States.  Vineyard ceremonies are becoming increasingly popular (weddings and wine...the perfect combination!), and how romantic would it be to get married in a rustic barn setting?  A gorgeous bouquet that incorporates sunflowers, daisies and twigs with berries is the perfect way to add to your special day.  Get them from the local florist or pick them from a field or garden, if you don't mind a few hidden insects included!

Regardless of your destination or budget, don't be so quick to do without.  Flowers have long been a symbol of love...and I think we should keep it that way!

Until next time,

MTS Couples: Ashley and Tylor

I meant to do this photo blog early last month but as Theresa mentioned in the last post, I was a little busy with my new baby boy! Blake is now a little over a month old and is doing very well. I am very much enjoying my time with him while out on maternity leave. He's napping now so it's a perfect time to blog! Here's a snapshot of him from early this morning:

I love those kissable lips!

I could easily spend the remainder of this blog being a photo-crazed new mommy, but instead I will post some gorgeous wedding photos from a couple who recently married in Punta Cana (in the Dominican Republic). Ashley and Tylor got married on March 3 at the all-inclusive Majestic Elegance resort. Here are a few snapshots their group took of the grounds and pool area. 

I am so excited that Ashley is allowing me to share pictures and feedback from their special day. It was a perfect beach wedding setup for a beautiful-looking couple! Here are her thoughts along with a few pictures from the event...

I can't thank you enough for telling me about Majestic Elegance. Everything was perfect. The wedding was so perfect and seamless, our friends and family said it was the best wedding they have ever been to! The entire week was a dream. The resort was beautiful, weather perfect, staff was kind and fun, the food was definitely above average and we enjoyed all the restaurant options. We would not have changed a single thing. Everyone had a blast and I want to relive it again and again!!!

Getting ready with her Mom & sister

The white wedding setup on the fabulous Caribbean beach

What a joyful bride! Love this snapshot.

Exchanging vows

Love the back of Ashley's dress!

They're married!!

How good-looking are they?!

An intimate moment on the beach

What a fun group shot!

It was an absolute joy to coordinate the travel details for Ashley and Tylor's group. Ashley was such a laid-back and flexible bride which makes the process so much fun for me! I am really excited about how smoothly everything went and wish Ashley and Tylor a lifetime of happiness! Looks like they are off to a good start :)

Where Have We Been?

Happy Friday to all of our blog friends!  I must say it's been too long since we've shared with you!  To prove to you we haven't been ignoring you, but have been busy artists planning your next escape, here's what's been going on at Midwest Travel Service the last month!

Most importantly...we're thrilled to share with you the newest addition to our MTS family!  Christina, our premiere 'romance specialist', welcomed the sweetest and most perfect little guy into the world on March 10!  Mommy, baby, (and of course Daddy) are all doing great!  We hope she's loving her time off and is getting some much needed rest.  I wouldn't say this to her but we will have no problem at the end of her leave - dragging her back into the office...we miss her!  I'm sure she wouldn't mind me sharing the 'sneak peak' of his first photo session.  Jessica at JM Photography photographed Christina and Kyle's wedding a few years ago and she did an amazing job!  Obviously, her talent isn't limited to brides and grooms!  Her newborn photos are priceless.  I love getting her Facebook updates when she has a new session.  I dare you to check them out and try and not smile!  Completely impossible!!  (BTW - Jessica is available for Destination Weddings too!  When you contact her, let her know you were referred by us and she'll give you a special deal!)

Some day little Blake might be embarrassed by this one but I think it's adorable!

So Cute!  Congrats Christina and Kyle!

Now that the important and life changing stuff is out of the way, let's get down to business!  Minnesota in March is the 'get me outta here - I'm sick of winter month!  Although this year was super mild and perfect weather in my mind, it was still crazy around here!  With Christina out and the rest of us working around our families/kids spring break schedules, let's just say the blogging got put on the back burner!  Things are getting less hectic and I'm ready to get back to sharing my thoughts with all of you!

Website Changes - One thing we are hard at work on is our website.  While we love the look of our site and love to share the latest pricing info with all of you, we are finding it cumbersome and time consuming keeping on top of the ever changing pricing.  We've decided to do an overhaul of the pages on our site so we can better share information with you.  We hope to have the upgrades completed and ready by the end of May.  If there is anything you would like to see or have any comments for us, we'd love to hear them.  We're always open to suggestions from our clients of how we can better serve you!  Don't be shy...let's get talking!

Lastly, we are one of a handful of agencies in the country that has been offered an exclusive savings opportunity at Gourmet-Inclusive El Dorado Spa Resorts by Karisma!  Their award-winning resorts in the Riviera Maya offer stunning beach settings and unparalleled service.  

With this offer you can save up to $250 on air-inclusive vacations when booking with Midwest Travel Service.  Feel free to browse to your hearts content and either book online or call and speak with one of our 'Escape Artists'!  Either way, we will be sure you are well taken care of!  Don't wait as bookings must be made by April 29!

It doesn't get any better than El Dorado Casita Royale!!

Actually, yes it does!  We can sweeten the deal if you are celebrating your Anniversary or Honeymoon!  Travel within 90 days, (either before or after) of your wedding/anniversary date and we will treat you to a Gourmet Honeymoon/Anniversary Package!

• Private gourmet four course romantic candlelit dinner on the beach
• Beachfront sky massage for two
• Chilled bottle of champagne delivered to room upon arrival
• One night anniversary return stay voucher
• Complimentary use of WIFI
• 15% discount on spa services
• Romantically decorated suite with rose petals, aroma therapy and candles following private dinner
• Fresh tropical floral arrangement in room
• Chef's special gourmet breakfast in bed morning after dinner

Available for purchase at $750, we're thrilled to be able to offer this to you as our gift for booking with us!

Have a blessed Easter weekend!